Chapter 31 - Chapter 31- Bow’s Fidelity

Bow Strongblossom, the mighty warrior, Lion D. Helios's first and closest friend, understood Helios's pain without ever needing to hear his story. Though Helios never spoke of his past, Bow could read the truth written across his body. The scars that wrapped around his ankles and wrists told tales of chains, captivity, and suffering. Bow's jaw tightened, fury and sorrow swirling within him. He thought of his friend, of the man who carried the weight of a thousand lifetimes, and of the slaves now enduring the same cruelty. "This isn't right…" Bow muttered, voice trembling. "It's inhumane." A single tear cut down his cheek. Then he clenched his fist, a spark of conviction igniting in his eyes. "This time… it's my turn. I'll do what Helios once did for me. I'll free them. I'll show them that this world isn't only pain, that there's still joy… still hope." He exhaled once, the air trembling around him. Mana surged, rippling through the ground beneath his feet. The air grew heavy, bending around his power. "Here I come…" With a thunderous step, Bow launched himself skyward, the wind howling in his wake. As he soared above the encampment, his aura flared brighter than fire, brighter than dawn itself. Mana spiraled and condensed into his arm until it swelled with pure, divine force. He whispered through gritted teeth, "Power Gem…" The energy condensed into a brilliant sun, illuminating the night sky. Below, the slavers looked up in awe and terror, frozen beneath the radiance. To them, it was as if the heavens themselves had cast judgment. Then Bow roared, a sound that shook the night. "MAXIMUM IMPACT!" He plummeted like a meteor, his fist trailing light and fury. The instant his mana touched the earth, the world shattered, the ground cracked open, exploding outward in a blinding storm of dust, stone, and flame. The impact tore through the camp, sending walls, debris, and screams into the air. And through the chaos, Bow roared once more, voice thunderous, primal, unrelenting: "POWER!" The earth convulsed, rising and collapsing all at once. A shockwave erupted for miles. When the dust finally settled, silence fell, and the night was gone. Bow Strongblossom stood alone amid the devastation, chest heaving, eyes blazing. Before him lay a massive crater, carved deep into the world itself. And from its edge, he saw it, a tunnel, unearthed by the force of his strike. Without hesitation, Bow brushed aside the rubble and sprinted into the darkness, deeper into the tunnels where the enslaved were held. The air was damp and heavy. Lanterns flickered weakly along the walls, casting trembling shadows that danced with each of Bow's pounding steps. Then, he froze. Footsteps echoed ahead, sharp and quick, coming closer. He closed his eyes, listening carefully. Four… no, he thought, seven of them. The tunnel stretched endlessly forward, the glow of the lanterns barely reaching the figures rushing his way. When they finally came into view, Bow saw six men sprinting toward him, their bodies wrapped in dark cloth to mask their identities. The first one leapt onto the wall, running along it like a shadow, a dagger glinting in his hand. Bow's eyes narrowed, he caught the faint sheen on the blade. Poisoned daggers, he realized. He cracked his neck and exhaled. "Alright then," he muttered. The first slaver lunged, thrusting the dagger toward Bow's chest. But Bow was faster, impossibly faster. In one smooth motion, he caught the attacker's wrist, twisted it, and slammed his head into the stone wall. The impact echoed through the tunnel like thunder. The slaver went limp before he hit the ground. Bow didn't stop. He surged forward, his steps shaking the tunnel floor. Two more slavers jumped behind their fallen comrade, blades ready. Bow launched himself upward, planting his hands against the ceiling. With a powerful kick, he propelled himself downward, slamming into both men midair and sending them crashing to the ground. A fourth slaver, waiting behind them, lunged the moment Bow landed, but Bow was already moving. His fist glowed faintly with mana as he swung a right hook that connected squarely with the man's temple. The body flew, crashing into the tunnel wall with a sickening crack, blood splattering across the stone. The two who had fallen tried to recover, but Bow was relentless. He grabbed at the wall beside him, ripping a loose brick free and hurling it with brutal precision. It struck one slaver's face with a crunch, sending him spinning backward. The last one flinched at the sight, that single moment of hesitation was fatal. Bow lunged. His arm stretched out as he charged, the force of his speed turning the blow into a sledgehammer. When his fist connected, the slaver's body twisted violently, spinning backward before collapsing into a heap. Silence filled the tunnel once more, broken only by Bow's steady breathing. Bow sprinted deeper into the tunnel, the sound of his footsteps echoing against the cold stone. The air grew heavier, rank with iron and ash, until the path opened into a wide pit, an abrupt break in the tunnel. Across the gap, a flickering lantern revealed a continuation of the passage. And standing there, half-shrouded in shadow, was another slaver. The man's voice was cold and steady. "Who are you? I heard… unpleasant noises coming from the way you came." Bow stopped at the edge of the pit, his eyes narrowing. The dim light glinted off the veins of mana still dancing across his arm. "I haven't been outside yet," the slaver continued, stepping forward with an eerie calm. "But I'm willing to guess you killed everyone, didn't you?" Bow said nothing. His silence was answer enough. The slaver clicked his tongue. "You took down a lot of good men. They weren't saints, but they were efficient." He smirked faintly, raising a hand. "Well… this is awkward." He flicked a pebble toward Bow. It spun lazily through the air, until Bow's instincts screamed. Mana. He dodged right as the pebble detonated behind him, sending a blast of pressure and dust through the pit. "Clever," Bow muttered, squinting through the smoke. The slaver stepped fully into the lantern light, revealing a mace resting across his shoulder, its head carved with runes that pulsed faintly red. "Let's make this quick." With a guttural shout, the slaver slammed the mace into the ground. The tunnel quaked, stone cracking and jutting upward. But Bow didn't falter. He tore loose one of the fallen boulders and hurled it forward with monstrous strength. The slaver smashed it apart, dust and shards flying. Another rock came, then another. Bow kept the pressure on, forcing the man into defense until the tunnel shook from the impact of each strike. Then Bow vanished from sight. The slaver barely caught the blur to his right. He turned, too slow. Bow burst from the dust cloud, flipping high above him. His leg came down in a blazing arc, mana surging through it like molten fire. The kick struck clean, an axe kick that shattered the slaver's crossed arms with a crack like breaking timber, then slammed into his skull. The man's knees buckled, his head snapping down from the blow. Bow landed in a crouch, his heel slick with blood. The slaver staggered but didn't fall. His body trembled, arms hanging limp and broken, but his eyes still burned with hatred. Bow straightened, his expression hard. "You're still standing, huh?" The slaver grinned through broken teeth. "You'll wish I wasn't. Bow replied, "Sure." Then he balled up his fist and when the slaver jumped at him, bow landed a brutal blow to his face. Bow saw everything happen slowly. His fist breaking the slavers nose, to then caving the slavers face in with his fist burying deep inside of the mans head till his fist went through the back of his skull to where he saw his whole forearm went threw. The slavers brain mater escaped as if it was the only exit it was as if a spear pierced his head. Bow stopped in his tracks removing the man's head from his arm covered in blood. Another slaver walked in and saw such a grueling scene and started to scream, "Please, i have a family. I didn't mean to do anything wrong." the slaver lost all hope once he looked into bow's eyes. He could see that this was the end of his life. Bow walked up to the remaining slaver and said, "you deserve worse." as the slaver fell on his butt and started crawling away. Sadly so him trying to escape was pointless. Bow curbed the man by stomping the back of the slavers head into the remaining rubble. Bow saw the blood poor out endlessly, but it didn't sicken him nor disturb him. He continued heading down the tunnel to free the people who where wrongly enslaved. Bow turned, continuing deeper into the tunnel. The air grew colder, heavier, as Bow descended deeper into the earth. Then the tunnel opened into a vast underground chamber. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, their flickering light revealing a sea of humanity, thousands of men, women, and children packed together, chained and broken. Their hollow eyes lifted toward him, filled with fear, confusion, and a faint, fragile spark of hope. Bow's chest tightened. He drew a deep breath, the fury inside him fading into something steadier, resolve. Stepping forward, he spoke, his voice echoing through the cavern like rolling thunder. "It's over," he said. "You're free now." The nearest prisoners flinched, uncertain. Then Bow clenched his fists, and the stone shackles around them shattered like brittle twigs. Gasps filled the air. With relentless purpose, he moved from chain to chain, tearing metal apart as if it were paper. Each snap was a note of freedom, and with every sound, the trembling voices of the enslaved grew louder, soft cries of disbelief turning into sobs of relief. When the final chain broke, Bow stood among them, dust swirling around him like falling stars. For the first time that night, he smiled. "Helios…" he murmured, glancing upward. "I kept my promise." He turned toward the tunnel entrance and called out, "Everyone, this way! Follow me, we're going home!" The crowd stirred, weak but driven by the sound of his voice. Bow led them up through the twisting passageways, supporting those who stumbled, guiding them through the cold until at last, the night sky opened above. By the time they reached the surface, many had collapsed from exhaustion, their legs unable to carry them any farther. A weary woman approached Bow, her voice trembling. "Where… where do we go now?" Bow looked at her, at all of them. Their faces were gaunt, but there was life in their eyes again. "Stay here," he said gently. "I'll find you a place where you'll be safe." The woman nodded, relaying his words to the others. Bow set off at once, sprinting through the moonlit fields until he found a nearby village nestled in the hills. He spoke with the village chief, explaining everything. Without hesitation, the chief agreed to shelter the freed captives. Bow rushed back and led the survivors to the village. As they arrived, the villagers opened their homes, offering blankets, food, and warmth. The freed men and women wept, thanking Bow, some kneeling to kiss his hand. He raised a hand and shook his head. "No thanks needed. Just… live free." And with that, Bow turned back toward Sanctus, the night wind brushing against his scarred knuckles as he sprinted toward the inn, toward his friends, toward whatever awaited next.